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Salisbury City Clerk To Retire After 17 Years In Position

SALISBURY — After almost two decades of service, Salisbury City Clerk Brenda Colegrove has decided to retire.

The announcement, delivered Tuesday, came as a shock to the Salisbury City Council.

“We were floored last night,” said Councilwoman Laura Mitchell the day after the announcement.

While it may have been a surprise, Colegrove noted that the retirement has been a long time coming and is not motivated by anything other than a desire to relax.

“My original intent was to retire four years ago,” she said.

However, Colegrove delayed the retirement, a move that Mitchell said benefited the city since it allowed Assistant City Clerk Kim Nichols more time to gain experience.

“The extra four years will serve the city well,” said Mitchell.

Colegrove explained that her husband has already been retired for eight years, and she’s hoping that once her retirement goes into effect March 1, they will get a chance to travel more now that she isn’t bound to the city.

“I’m just going to enjoy life,” she said.

With more than 17 years logged in as city clerk, Colegrove has seen Salisbury and its government experience multiple transformations.

“The city has certainly grown,” she said.

Colegrove has served with multiple variations of the council and worked alongside 24 total council members.

“I’ll miss everybody,” she said.
Mitchell asserted that the feeling would be more than mutual.

“She has been a major contributor to her field and to the city,” said Mitchell, who added that Colegrove was “a bright spot in the office.”

Besides that, Mitchell also commented on Colegrove’s experience and aptitude.

“She has a wealth of knowledge,” Mitchell said. “She can put her hands on anything.”

A search will be conducted to find Colegrove’s replacement. If a suitable one can’t be found by March 1, Nichols will fill the role in the interim.

Both Mitchell and Colegrove were confident that Nichols could handle the responsibility, with Colegrove going so far as to suggest that Nichols should apply to be her replacement on a full-time basis.